How to Make a Simple Electric Motor

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How to Make a Simple Electric Motor

Watch more Fun Tech & Science Projects videos: http://www.howcast.com/guides/570-Fun-Tech-and-Science-Projects Subscribe to Howcast's YouTube Channel - http://howc.st/uLaHRS Make a simple electric motor to show off your mechanical skills using this guide. Howcast uploads the highest quality how-to videos daily! Be sure to check out our playlists for guides that interest you: http://howc.st/ytmainplaylists Subscribe to Howcast's other YouTube Channels: Howcast Health Channel - http://howc.st/HOE3aY Howcast Video Games Channel - http://howc.st/tYKKrk Howcast Tech Channel - http://howc.st/rx9FwR Howcast Food Channel - http://howc.st/umBoJX Howcast Arts & Recreation Channel - http://howc.st/vmB86i Howcast Sports & Fitness Channel - http://howc.st/vKjUjm Howcast Personal Care & Style Channel - http://howc.st/vbbNt3 Howcast empowers people with engaging, useful how-to information wherever, whenever they need to know how. Emphasizing high-quality instructional videos, Howcast brings you experts who provide accurate information in easy-to-follow tutorials on everything from makeup, hairstyling, nail art design, and soccer to parkour, skateboarding, dancing, kissing, and much, much more. Step 1: Coil the wire around the battery Coil the wire around the D-cell battery several times. Remove the coil and wrap the ends around two sides of the coil to hold it in place. Leave 3 inches of wire lead on each end. Step 2: Strip and coat the wire ends Strip both ends of the wire coil leads. Hold the coil vertically and coat one half of one lead with a permanent marker. Apply a second coat of ink. Tip The ink coating is very important as it allows a break in the magnetic field to keep the coil spinning. Step 3: Place the magnets Turn a plastic cup upside down and place one disk magnet on top while putting the other inside the cup, against the roof, to hold both magnets in place. Tip A clear cup works best to display your work and to prove there are no other mechanisms. Step 4: Straighten the paper clips Straighten the outside ends of both paper clips to form a "P." Attach the paper clips to the cup using 2 large rubber bands to build a cradle for the wire coil. Step 5: Balance the coil in the paper clips Balance the coil inside the paper clip cradle loop. Adjust the height so the coil just misses the magnets when it spins. Attach an alligator cable clip to each paper clip just above the rubber band. Step 6: Connect the battery Connect the D-cell battery to the coil using the other two alligator clips. Be sure one end is connected to the positive side and the other the negative side of the battery. Give the coil a gentle spin. Step 7: Adjust the motor Adjust the balance of the coil and the distance between each paper clip cradle. Experiment with the configuration until you have a working motor. Did You Know? In 1899, Thomas Edison believed electricity would run the cars of the future. He spent a decade trying to perfect an electric car battery but was ultimately defeated by gasoline power.

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